Locomotive-firebox arch



G. E. RYDER. LOCOMOTIVE FIREBOX ARCH. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I. 1919.

1,337, Patented Apr. 20,1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT RYDER, 0F LEONIA, NEW-JERSEY.

LOCOMOTIVE-FIREBOX ARCH.

Application filed March 1,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT E. RYDER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Leonia, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive-Firebox Arches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to structures of the type referred to and has for its object the provision of an improved form of such arches.

For a comprehension of the invention a perusal of the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part thereof will be sufiicient.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of enough of a locomotive with my invention in place as is required to show the invention and its relation to adjacent and cooperating parts; Fig. 2 is a crosssectionof Fig. 1 taken on line 22 of that figure and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 2 illustrates a modification; Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; while Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 2 of a modification.

The firebox of the locomotive is designated by the reference numeral 1, while 2 designates the crown sheet, 3 the back sheet, and 4 the back tube sheet. From 4 extend forward the superheater flues 5 and the fire tubes 6. Of the latter only the top and bottom ones are indicated. The parts men tioned are all of usual or preferred construction. The features my invention is concerned with are the arch tubes extending between the back sheet and the lower part of the "back tube sheet 4, and the arch these tubes support. As usually constructed, these tubes are plain tubes of substantially uniform diameter throughout, and are either straight or bent to suit conditions. Their ends are usually secured to the back sheet and back tube sheet respectively, though at times they have been run from the back tube sheet to the crown sheet at a point near the back sheet. In carrying out my invention I usually follow the ordinary practices as far as the direction and general arrangement of the tubes is concerned, but I.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

1919. Serial No. 279,944.

allel branches 9 and 10. These reunite at 11, a point in close proximity to the tube sheet. The two ends of the composite tube thus formed are secured in the ordinary way in two sheets, i. c. the back sheet and the back tube sheet, or the crown sheet and the back tube sheet, as the case may be. It will be evident that the composite tube described admits of any necessary bending in much the same waythat the ordinary plain tubes do. The distance the two branches 9 and 10 are spaced apart is a matter of choice and will depend on circumstances a more fully discussed below.

The bricks 12 making up the arch are shaped much as in the usual construction, with an important difference spoken of farther on. They rest with their ends on neighboring branches 9 and 10 of adjacent tubes, as will be entirely apparent from an inspection of the drawing. The outer row on each side has its outer ends resting against the side sheets 13. c

In the throat sheet 14 and in the back head 15 there are at points opposite the ends of the tubes the usual plugs 16.

The function of the arch made according to my invention is as follows. The gases arising from the grate, instead of being allowed to take the shortest path to the fire tubes and superheater flues, are forced by the arch to move first toward the rear end of the firebox, where they pass upward between the arch tubes and then forward. This corresponds to the action of the ordinary form of arch, the beneficial action of which in the way of mixing the gases and promoting combustion by its own incandescence is well known. The form of the arch as described above preserves all these beneficial features, but has the important additional advantage that the small streams of ward through the space mentioned do not come into contact with enough cooling surface on this passage to lower them below the ignition point, and coming out in the immediate proximity of the incandescent arch as they issue from the space the conditions are very favorable to their combustion.

One of the greatest advantages of the improved constr'uction herein described however is the fact that the space between the adjacent tubes is considerably diminished. This makes it possible to make the arch bricks a great deal lighter than at present, as the thickness which it is necessary to give to these bricks increases very rapidly with the span over which they exten ven a small reduction in the span, in other words, makes it possible to use a greatly lightened brick. Of course the span for each row of bricks could be reduced by inserting one or more extra arch tubes. But it will be noticed that I accomplish the same desirable end without increasing the number of tubeends which it' is necessary to roll into the sheets, and which, are such a fruitful source of trouble.

As stated above, the two branches of the tube ma be spaced apart any desired distance. he proportion of the gases allowed to pass between the branches can thus be made anything desired. It may prove advisable under certain circumstances to close up the space between the branches-of the composite arch tube entirely. This can evidently be very easily accomplished by fittinginto each space a series of small bricks of pro er shape, as illustrated in Fig. 2 at 12. t the same time the advantage of the decreased span is retained. Moreover if it is desired merely to cut down somewhat the proportion of the gases passing upward through the slits, this may be accomplished by partly closing the slits by bricks J" The actual amount and distribution of the upwardly passing gases can thus be readily controlled.

The tube described is easy to make, the circulation through it in use is fully as free as through the old style of tube, and the cleaning of the tube is as readily accomplished.

The variation shown in Fig. 4 consists in splitting the tube into three portions in- Stead of into only two. They are lettered in the figure as 9, 10, and 10. The fire bricks forming the arch rest on the two outer ones, 9 and 10, while the third, 10. lies above the space between the other two.

The result is an even more intimate mixing of the gases that pass through the space. It will be evident that the precise distance the three tubes are spaced from each other is a matter of design. They may, if desired be spaced somewhat farther apart than in the figure and the resulting spaces closed by bricks similar to 12' of Fig. 2.

In general, the dimensions and details herein shown and mentioned will be understood to be illustrative only. In practising my invention many variations will naturally be made. These are intended to be included in the following claims.

What I claim is 1. In a locomotive, the combination of a back sheet, a back tube sheet, an arch tube comprising two cylindrical portions secured to the two sheets respectively and a plurality of spaced parallel branches connecting the cylindrical portions, and a plurality of arch bricks, supported by the branches.

2. In a locomotive, the combination of a back sheet, a back tube sheet, a plurality of arch tubes each comprising two cylindrical portions secured respectively to the two sheets and a plurality of spaced branches connecting them and integral with them, and a plurality of bricks the ends of each of which rest on neighboring-branches of adjacent tubes.

3. In a locomotive, the combination of a back sheet, a back tube sheet, a plurality of tubes connecting them, each comprising two cylindrical portions secured respectively to the two sheets and a plurality of spaced branches connecting and integral with them, and bafliing means resting on some of said branches.

4. In a locomotive, the combination of a back sheet, a back tube sheet, a plurality of arch tubes each comprising two cylindrical portions secured respectively to the two sheets and two parallel space branches con- 110 necting them and integralwith them. and a plurality. ofbricks the ends of each of which rest on neighboring branches of adjacent tubes. I

5. In a locomotive, the combination of a back sheet, a back tube sheet, an arch tube bricks, each supported at one end by one of the two branches, and other arch bricks supported entirely by'the two branches.

6. In a locomotive, the combination of a back sheet, a back tubesheet, a plurality of rest on neighboring branches of adjacent sheets and two parallel spaced branches contubes, and means to close any desired pornecting them and integral with them, a plu- 10 tion of the spaces between the branches of rality of bricks the ends of each of which each arch tube. 7 rest on neighboring branches of adjacent 7. In a locomotive, the combination of a tubes, and a plurality of bricks each. supback sheet, a back tube sheet, a plurality of ported by the two branches of a tube.

arch tubes each comprising two cylindrical portions secured respectively to the two GILBERT E. RYDER. 

